


Distraction Techniques

by EnglishPoet18



Category: Real Person Fiction
Genre: F/M, McReedus - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-18 19:16:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnglishPoet18/pseuds/EnglishPoet18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by the Jimmy Kimmel show that aired on 3/19/15. Norman helps distract Mel from her fear of crowds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distraction Techniques

**Author's Note:**

  * For [serpetinefire1 (serpetinefire)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/serpetinefire/gifts).



...

"I can't do this. You two just go without me."

"What? You got this. You're gonna be fine," Norman insisted.

He exchanged a knowing glance with Steven. They watched Mel twist her hands together in a nervous gesture that not many people were privy to. It was no secret that Mel didn't like crowds and tonight was no exception. They had already taken a glance at the audience and it was decidedly bigger than most other talk shows they had appeared on.

"Don't think I didn't see both of your faces when you took a peek out front. There's a hell of a lot of people out there, aren't there?" Mel asked with a glance between the two of them.

"Of course not," Steven replied.

"There's not that many," Norman answered at the same time even though neither of them sounded all that convincing. They may have made their money acting for a living, but when it came to lying to their friends, they really sucked at it. "Piece of cake."

Mel shook her head and sat down on the plush couch in the dressing room. She blew out a heavy breath and stared straight ahead. She was mentally preparing herself to go out there and face the crowd without letting her insecurities show. Norman had watched her do this several thousand times at conventions and interviews alike. It never got easier for her over time and he had always wished that there was something that he could do for her. They had a good thirty minutes before it was there time to go on though so maybe he could figure something out.

"It never gets easier for her, does it?" Steven asked in a low voice as he stepped next to him.

"She'll pull it off. She always does," he replied. He felt a surge of pride just thinking about it. She always managed to pull herself together just in time, appearing smooth and flawless as always. He had always admired that about her.

And she looked ravishing tonight. He had complimented her earlier when she had come out of makeup, but he doubted that she had really heard him. Hell, he had always thought that she was cute though. She had her own unique sense of style and she owned it every time. Women like Mel were such a rarity these days and he was honored to have her in his life.

"I'm going to go make a call. I'll be back before we go on," Steven said.

Norman nodded and watched him leave the room, leaving the two of them alone. He looked back at Mel and found her in exactly the same position, still staring at the wall. Shoving his hands into his pockets he strolled over to the couch and dropped down beside her, casually draping his arm across her shoulders. She sighed and leaned into him, resting her head in the crook of his arm comfortably.

He loved that their friendship was so open and comfortable that they could do things like this without it being weird. They were always there for one another, no matter the time and next to Andy, Mel was the best friend that he had ever had. She was fun, charming, and could curse like a sailor at random. He loved that about her...he loved everything about her.

"Quit thinking about it," he urged as he nudged her with his shoulder.

She snorted and he saw her lips quirk into a smile. "Can't help it. And stop reading my damn mind."

He laughed and tugged her closer, reaching over to pick up her hand that was nervously plucking at the material of her dress. Wordlessly he ran his fingers over her own, smoothing the creamy skin in a soothing gesture. She didn't protest. She knew him well enough now to know that he was very hands on and this was nothing new for him to constantly touch people.

"Did I mention that you clean up nicely, Mr. Reedus?" She murmured.

He grinned as he glanced down at his casual black suit. "Feels weird with no blood on it." She snorted and laced her fingers through his, her nails dragging across his palm softly. He turned his head towards her, close enough so that her hair tickled his nose and he breathed in her vanilla scent. "Don't know if you heard me earlier when I told you that you looked absolutely adorable in that outfit."

"Adorable?" She pulled back and turned to look at him, her nose wrinkled. "That the best you got?" Her eyes sparkled with a teasing warmth. She never failed to keep him on his toes.

"Alright, fine. You look fucking gorgeous." He winked at her and she smiled.

"That's more like it." She laughed, the sound quickly dying in her throat as she stared at him. One look into her eyes and he knew exactly what she craved. It was the same thing he had been craving ever since they had shared a kiss at the wrap party last year. They had agreed to chalk it up to just curiosity among friends, but they both knew it went deeper than that.

The kiss had been impulsive at first then had quickly grown more passionate as they had surrendered to each other. It wasn't like he had ever imagined kissing her to be - it was so much better. She was like that first drink of cool water to the parched throat on a hot day when nothing else would quench your thirst. He had thought about her a lot since then, but he respected their friendship and the last thing he had ever wanted was to jeopardize that in any way. Except he felt it now and almost every time they were together - that gravitational pull that couldn't be denied.

And when she stared at him like she was right now with her eyes drinking him in, he couldn't resist her even if he had wanted to. Which he didn't. He would kiss her now and satisfy that urge, that craving to have her in every way. Except he knew that it would never be satisfied. It would only lead him to want more.

Crushing her to him, he swept his lips softly over hers at first...feeling her out. She parted her lips and twined her tongue around his own, eliciting a small groan from his throat. He was still holding her hand, his other arm still wrapped around her shoulder holding her closely to him. He was that his hands were occupied or else they might have been tempted to wander to places he wasn't sure that either of them were ready for or ever would be for that matter.

Despite how much he wanted her, he knew it was a dangerous game that they were playing. They were both casually seeing other people and with the way that the fans were about the show lately, it would surely cause a stir were someone to them locked in a passionate embrace. Norman wanted to tell them all to fuck off, but this was his job, his livelihood and it wasn't as easy as just being together. Even if he wished that it was.

So he took what she offered and made the most of it. He savored the taste of her lips, the faint flavor of cinnamon gum she had been chewing earlier. If he couldn't strip her naked and have his fill of her then he would ravish her mouth for as long as possible. God she tasted good.

He groaned softly as she deepened the kiss and felt the resounding stir within his pants. Shifting his legs, he attempted to relieve some of the tension, but with no success. She placed her hand upon his chest and he thought for sure she would be able to feel the erratic pounding of his heart.

She pulled away several minutes later and he glanced down at his cell to check the time. "Fifteen minutes to go," he said.

"Is that all?" She teased, but he could see the nerves trying to creep their way back in.

He rubbed the pad of his thumb across her lower lip, swiping up the moisture from their heated kisses. "You've never looked more beautiful than right at this very moment." He lifted his cell phone and quirked his brow at her.

She shook her head adamantly, "You're crazy, you know that?"

He smiled endearingly at her. "C'mon, just one. For my private collection," he coaxed.

He widened his smile and she bit her lip, trying to cover her own in return. He knew he had her and he swiped his finger over the screen, pressing the key for his camera. Positioning it in the air above them, he turned it various angles as he tried to get the lighting and angle just right. Mel waited patiently. She already knew how anal he was about pictures and how nearly everything in his life was documented in some way with a picture. She wouldn't have expected this time to be any different. He nodded at her and she smiled as he turned his head, forehead pressed to her temple to stare at her as he snapped several pictures. Tapping a few keys, he locked the phone and slipped it into his pocket again. He would look at it later when he was alone.

The door opened and Steven walked back into the room, disconnecting his cell and sliding it into his pocket. "Ten minute countdown. Shall we make our way towards the front?"

Norman glanced at Mel and she nodded softly. He squeezed her hand once more and stood, helping her to her feet. He watched her slip her other hand into Steven's and they all three made their way to the door.

"Feeling better?" Steven asked.

"For the moment. Until I get out there anyway." She chuckled and glanced over her shoulder at Norman. "I had Norman to distract me."

Steven snorted, "Yeah, he's good at that." He threw Norman an affectionate look.

"Hey, that's what I'm here for. A distraction technique," he replied good-naturedly.

"And no one is better at it than you," Mel replied with a knowing smile.

...


End file.
